Meredith Broxson

Name:
Broxson, Meredith Julean

Date of Booking:
07/30/2025

Reason(s) For Booking:
Failure to Maintain Lane

HIT AND RUN; DUTY OF DRIVER TO STOP AT OR RETURN TO SCENE OF ACCIDENT

Driving Under the Influence of Glue/Aerosol/Toxic

Officer’s Narrative:
[Please note: The following is a direct transcription from the official initial incident report. The Georgia Gazette does not fix any spelling or grammatical errors that may exist. Any changes or redactions made by our staff are placed inside brackets. Some errors may exist. All subjects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. The topics discussed may be sensitive to some readers. Discretion is advised.]

[NARRATIVE #1 on July 30, 2025]

On Wednesday, July 30th, 2025, at approximately 19:04 hours dispatch advised of a call regarding a female driver who was said to be “huffing,” driving a motor vehicle on the lot of Lowe’s located at 2338 Shorter Ave, and going in and out of consciousness. She was described to be driving a gray Honda sedan bearing GA Tag [REDACTED] and drove away after yelling at people. It was then said that she struck a power pole on Lyons Dr.

Upon my arrival, multiple county units were already checking on her. The described vehicle was found with its front bumper touching a power pole on Lyons Dr, after its intersection with Dude St. The driver was identified as the owner, Meredith Broxson. Due to the nature of the call and her behavior upon county units’ arrival Officer Masciovecchio with the Floyd County Police Department, who is Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement [ARIDE] certified, performed evaluations on her.

During this time I spoke to witness [WITNESS #1] who showed me video of Ms. Broxson in the vehicle on the Lowe’s parking lot striking multiple lawn mowers and continuing to drive despite a small crowd of people trying to keep her from doing so. He has been provided an Axon Community Request to submit the video.

I also spoke to [WITNESS #2] who stated he was also in the Lowe’s parking lot when Ms. Broxson struck multiple lawn mowers. He stated multiple people ran up to her vehicle in an effort to assist her when he realized she was in and out of consciousness. He observed her “huffing,” and being aggressive. When asked to explain, he stated he saw her place the nozzle from an air duster bottle directly on her mouth and proceed to inhale and exhale the fumes from it. He further stated she was yelling, but not trying to fight anybody other than trying to drive away in which she initially drove forward when she meant to reverse.

I then returned to Ms. Broxson when I was advised she was showing signs of impairment. She was advised she was under arrest for DUI, placed in handcuffs behind the back which were checked for fit and double locked, and escorted to the rear transport compartment of my patrol vehicle which was checked prior to and following her transports. She was read the Georgia Implied Consent Notice for Suspects Age 21 or Over, which is on a green card labeled DDS-354. She agreed to the chemical test of her blood.

She was then asked what she wanted to do with her vehicle, in which she requested to call a friend to get it and was allowed to do so.

In the vehicle, two air duster canisters along with receipts for their purchase and others from previous dates were located. Ms. Braxson also requested I grab her phone and wallet. Ms. [REDACTED] showed up to get the vehicle which was then released to her after verifying she had a valid license.

I then transported Ms. Braxson to Atrium-Floyd Health where Phlebotomist [REDACTED] drew blood from Ms. Braxson’s right arm to submit with the GBI Blood kit which was placed into temporary evidence.

While at the hospital awaiting medical clearance, I read Ms. Braxson the miranda warning which she agreed to. I asked her when she began “huffing,” and the type of effects it has on her. She explained she has a history of it that began during COVID but she doesn’t remember exactly when. She had previously been arrested for DUI based on inhalants before. She expressed that it is like alcohol in that its legally accessible to go buy from a store but that she doesn’t like the effects of alcohol and can’t seem to stay away from inhalants. She explained they lower the circulation of oxygen to her brain and make her pass out, which is the relief she was looking for today. She stated she normally waits until she gets home but decided to do it in the parking lot.

I also spoke to a county officer who went to Lowe’s and spoke with Manager [WITNESS #3] who was unable to provide a copy of the video at this time, but stated he would need to get permission from corporate. The county officer did view the video and stated it does show Ms. Broxson in the vehicle clearly inhaling the air duster bottles from their nozzle after striking multiple lawn mowers and proceeding to drive away.

She was then transported to Floyd County Jail without incident where she was booked in on:

Citation 45351 OCGA 40-6-391 (a)(3) DUI Aerosol
Citation 45352 OCGA 40-6-270 Hit and Run
Citation 45353 OCGA 40-6-48 Failure to Maintain Lane

[End of Narrative]

[NARRATIVE #2 on July 30, 2025]

On 07/30/2025 at approximately 1904 hours I, PFC. Masciovecchio, was on duty in the area of Shorter Ave. at the Raceway gas station. I was in a fully marked Floyd County Police vehicle and in full uniform. Dispatch gave out a report of a hit and run at the Lowe’s store, where the suspect vehicle, a Grey Honda Civic, was described as striking multiple lawn mowers and then leaving the parking lot onto Lyons Drive. Being so close to the call SGT. Penny and I both responded. The suspect vehicle returned to an address of [60 BLOCK] Lyons Dr., so we rode down Lyons Dr. in an attempt to locate. We located the suspect vehicle at the intersection of Lyons Dr. and the entrance to the Spring Grove Apartments, where it had left the roadway and struck a power pole.

I pulled behind the vehicle and made contact with the driver, identified as Meredith Broxson by GA DL, and gave her commands to step out of the vehicle, which she did. During this initial contact Meredith seemed very out of it and had a wide eyed expression on her face. As she exited the vehicle she was unsteady and had to use the vehicle to catch her balance. While telling her to stand in front of my vehicle she walked past and seemed very confused as to what was going on. I asked Meredith what was going on and she said there was no problem.

When I pointed out the fact she hit a power pole, she shook her head no, then stated that she wasn’t paying attention. I asked her what was going on at Lowe’s and she said “No problem at Lowe’s”. Due to her driving behavior, demeanor, appearance and slightly slurred speech i believed that Meredith was possibly under the influence of a drug, possible a prescription drug. I asked Meredith if she took any medication and she said just her “anti-meds”, I asked for clarification and she said her antidepressants. I asked what time she took her medicine and she said this morning. I asked what she takes and she advised Lamictal and Prozac. Fire arrived on scene and I let them check on Meredith.

I spoke to a witness from the Lowe’s, [WITNESS #2], who advised me that she was walking out of the store when she saw Meredith hit the lawn mowers. When she went to check on her, she noticed she was unconscious and called 911. she advised when Meredith came to, she began huffing whatever can she had in the vehicle. she advised they were going to try and get her car turned off, but she became irate and thats when she began to drive off. [WITNESS #2] followed her and when she drove by her after she struck the power pole, she advised she was huffing the can again. I informed SGT Penny of that and she said she found two air duster cans in vehicle. I went back down to the scene and Rome PD was on scene. PFC. Gibbs asked if we could preform field sobriety on Meredith which I agreed.

Prior to beginning I asked Meredith if she had any recent head injuries or if she wore contacts or glasses. She advised she did not have any injuries and that she wore reading glasses but could see me fine.

The first test I conducted was to check for Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN). I instructed Meredith to stand with her feet together and hands down by her side. I positioned my finger approximately 13 inches from Meredith’s face and at eyebrow level. I asked Meredith if she could see the stimulus, the tip of my finger, which she said she could. I advised her that she was going to follow the tip of my finger with her eyes, and her eyes only, that she was not to move her head. I asked if she understood and she said she did. My observations are as follows:

Prior to beginning I checked for equal pupils, which I did see, and resting nystagmus, which I did not see.

• Passes 1 and 2, I was looking for equal tracking which I did observe and continued with the testing.
• Passes 3 and 4, I was looking for lack of smooth pursuit which I did observe in both eyes for 2 of 2 validated clues.
• Passes 4 and 5, I was looking for distinct and sustained nystagmus at maximum deviation, which I did not observe for 0 of 2 validated clues.
• Passes 6 and 7, I was looking for onset of nystagmus prior to 45 degrees, which I did not observe for 0 of 2 validated clues.
• I did not see vertical gaze nystagmus.
• In total I observed 2 of 6 validated clues.

The next test I preformed was the walk and turn test. I instructed Meredith to imagine a straight line directly in front of her, approximately the same width as her foot. I instructed her to place her left foot on the line with her right foot in front touching heel to toe, and to keep her arms down at her side and told her to stay like that until I told her to begin and Meredith advised she understood.

I explained to Meredith that she was going to take nine heel to toe steps down the line, when she got to the end leave her front foot planted and take a series of small steps to turn around, then take nine more heel to toe steps back down the line. Meredith advised that she understood. I demonstrated the test only taking three steps, but explained she would be doing nine. I asked Meredith if she understood the instructions and she advised she did. My observations are as follows:

• I did observe Meredith break stance for 1 of 2 validated clues during the instructional phase.
• I did not observe Meredith start too soon for 0 of 2 validated clues during the instructional phase.
• I did observe Meredith stop while walking for 1 of 6 validated clues during the walking phase.
• I did not observe Meredith miss heel to toe for 0 of 6 validated clues during the walking phase.
• I did not observe Meredith step off line for 0 of 6 validated clues during the walking phase.
• I did observe Meredith raise arms for balance for 1 of 6 validated clues during the walking phase.
• I did observe Meredith make and Improper turn for 1 of 6 validated clues during the walking phase.
• I did observe Meredith take the Incorrect Number of Steps for 1 of 6 validated clues.
• In total I observe 5 of 8 validated clues.
• Meredith broke the starting position, Meredith took 10 steps on the second nine steps. Meredith used her arms for balance, and turned the opposite direction and without foot planted as instructed and demonstrated. Meredith also stopped and asked what to do prior to turning after the first nine steps.

The next test given was the one leg stand. I instructed Meredith into the starting position by telling her to stand with her feet together and arms down by her side and to stay like that until she was told to begin and Meredith advised she understood. I began giving the rest of the instructions by telling Meredith that she was going to pick a foot of her choosing and raise it approximately six inches off the ground keeping her foot parallel to the ground. I instructed her that she was going to count out loud in the following manner, 1001, 1002, 1003, and so on until I told her to stop. I demonstrated the test and asked Meredith if she understood and she advised she did. My observations are as follows:

• I did not observe Meredith put her foot down for 0 of 4 validated clues.
• I did not observe Meredith use her arms for balance for 0 of 4 validated clues.
• I did not observe Meredith sway for 0 of 4 validated clues.
• I did not observe Meredith hop for 0 of 4 validated clues.
• In total I observed 0 of 4 validated clues.

After completing the SFST testing I continued on with ARIDE evaluations including Lack of Convergence, Modified Romberg balance, and Finger to Nose. During lack of convergence I observed that Meredith’s eyes did not converge at all the way stopping about 3/4ths of the way in.

After lack of convergence, I continued on to Modified Romberg balance where Meredith was asked to tilt her head back, close her eyes, and estimate 30 seconds in her head before telling me to stop the timer. Meredith estimated 30 seconds in 38 seconds. When asked how she counted she advised she just slowly counted. I asked if she counted by 1s and she said yes. During finger to nose Meredith used the pad of her finger instead of the tip on all attempts, and touched either the side, or bridge of her nose on all attempts.

Based on my knowledge, training, and experience I believed that Meredith was operating a vehicle under the influence of an inhalant to the extent it was unsafe for her to be driving. I informed RPD officer Gibbs and advised him what I had and that if I were working the incident I would place her under arrest for DUI, which he did. Gibbs took over the rest of the investigation.

After Meredith was placed under arrest, I helped searched the vehicle. There was nothing other than the air duster cans. I did find five separate receipts from Lowe’s for air duster cans, two of which were from the same day 07/30/25.

[End of Narrative]

[NARRATIVE #3 on July 30, 2025]

On 07/30/2025 I Officer C.Forrister responded to the Lowes distribution center in regards to a incident where the driver of a vehicle had struck lawn mowers displayed outside the store.

Once on scene I was able to see a crowd of spectators and employees standing around the lawn mowers at this location and it was obvious some of the mowers had been shoved into one another and struck. I did speak with Lowes manager [WITNESS #3] about the incident. [WITNESS #3] did allow me to review security footage of this incident. I was able to see on the video that a dark in color Honda vehicle was in the parking lot of Lowes distribution and had been parked in a parking stall before pulling forward into the aile way of the parking lot and just stopping completely.

The vehicle then pulled forward traveling down the aile way before slowly striking the lawn mowers parked outside the store. it was at this point spectators and employees attempted to get the attention of the driver and get her out of the vehicle. In the video I am able to see that while the driver was in the vehicle they placed what appeared to be an air canister to their mouth and huff the contents inside. The driver then placed the vehicle in reverse striking another lawn mower and also almost striking the crowd of spectators around her. The driver then put the vehicle in drive striking more lawn mowers while they pulled forward.

I did gather the information on the struck lawn mowers and provided this to the investigating Officer with Rome PD.

1. Ariens, Edge, 52 inch. SN# 007986 $3,599
2. Ariens, Ikon, 60 inch. SN# 002369 $4,699
3. Ariens, Edge, 52 inch. SN#006832 3,599
4. Toro, Time Cutter 42 inch. SN#2503082057273 $3,699
5. Toro, Max, 50 inch. SN#2409300419268 $5,899
6. Ariens, Apex, 52inch, SN#096456 $5,899

[End of Narrative]